Indian Summer
by PhantomHarless
Summary: A summer alone in the mountains. With just horses, and a very sexy Native American. What could possibly go wrong?  SAKE!
1. Chapter 1

_BEEP BEEP BEEP_ with a frustrated groan Samantha Anne Forster grabbed her alarm clock and chunked at the wall.

"Sam, what in the world was that?" asked her dad, Wyatt, referring to the loud thump of the alarm clock hitting the wall.

"Me and the Alarm Clock disagreed and things got violent" Sam answered while getting dressed.

"That's the fifth time this week Sam!" Wyatt exclaimed from outside her door, giving her privacy to get dressed before starting her chores.

Once dressed Sam raced down stairs, almost tripping on her four year old brother, Cody.

"Cody! Don't play on the stairs!" Sam reprimanded the little guy.

"I'm sowy Sammy" the little boy turn his baby blue eyes on her, and she instantly lost any feelings of anger.

"It's okay" Sam smiled and quickly picked him up, and entered the kitchen.

At the sight of her Gram making chocolate chip pancakes, Sam moaned in delight.

"Now you hurry up and get your chores done young lady" Gram said "just because you graduated last week, doesn't mean you can sleep in and forget your chores."

"Yes ma'm" Sam rolled her eyes and shot out the front door like a bullet, excited because tomorrow was her seventeenth birthday. "Ace! Tempest!" Sam song entering the barn where her little bay mustang, Ace, and her blue-black mare, Tempest, spent the night. "Hey guys, you hungry?" Sam asked and got a bored look from both horses.

After the morning chores were complete, Sam went back inside just as everyone was sitting down to breakfast. Once Sam sat down, her step-mother Brynna, cleared her throat "Sam, about you spending the summer with the Phantom's herd, me and your dad talked about it, and decided you can, but Jake will spend the summer with you."

Sam let out a groan and rolled her eyes before speaking slowly "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Yes we are Sam, and we aint stupid so watch your tone" Wyatt warned.

"Yes sir" Sam lowered her eyes and began eating. "You know I changed my mind, I think having Jakey with me will be fun" Sam laughed.

"Speak of the devil" Brynna looked out the window at the black mare tied to the hitching rail.

"What Jake's here? Oh my god! Look at me I'm a mess!" Sam shrieked and ran to her room to change.

"What was that about?" Wyatt asked.

"Well Wyatt, its fairly obvious, Sam has a crush on Jake" Gram was the first to answer the question.


	2. Chapter 2

Later that morning Sam decided to go visit her favorite horse in the world, The Phantom.

"Ugh!" she grunted, as her young mare Tempest tried her darn best to throw her.

"Fine, be a brat! I'll be one back!" Sam warned when Tempest didn't respond to any of her signals, and gave the mare a light kick. With an offended squeal Tempest settled into a smooth lope headed toward her father's valley. About half way there Tempest scented the herd and once again tried to unseat Sam in an attempt to race toward the other mares.

"Knock it off" Sam groan trying to ride out her temperamental mare's bucks. At the entrance Sam decided it'd be best to dismount and lead Tempest into the valley, instead of riding, an boy was she right. Tempest fought her the whole way, and once in the valley she almost became uncontrollable.

"Whoa girl, hold on a sec" Sam muttered before releasing the mare. Tempest was prancing proudly into the valley, when a joyous neigh of recognition split the air.

*That's Sunny! She remembers her* Sam thought deeply touched as she watched mother and daughter reunite. After several minutes of nuzzling and snorting, Sunny moved off and left her daughter to investigate her surroundings.

Sam was visiting the Phantom when she heard Tempest neigh, but not just any neigh. Tempest had just neighed a lead mare's neigh.

*Well that's going to get us into a predicament* Sam thought while Tempest continued neighing. All of a sudden she heard what she feared. Another lead mare's neigh split the air, as Sunny came racing out of the herd, intent on defending her rank in the herd.

Tempest was having none of it, as she returned the challenge and charged her mother, mouth agape, ears buried in her mane .

"Tempest no!" Sam screamed trying to get her horse's attention. She failed miserably. Tempest and Sunny were fighting for a rank they both wanted, and neither was going to back down. Sam couldn't pry her eyes off the battle even though she longed to.

About five minutes later, Tempest let out a victorious whinny and eagerly began circling the herd neighing her leadership. The Phantom just snorted and shook his head as if to say _mares. _Finally, Sam decided it was time to go. Giving a sharp cowgirl whistle, she called to Tempest, who came running.

"Time to go girl" Sam said while saddling the mare. Once mounted Sam gave Tempest a firm kick and gave the mare her head. At the sound of hoof beats following them, Sam glanced back to see the whole herd racing after them.

*Of course! Their going to follow their lead mare* Sam thought suddenly. The herd followed all the way to the bridge, and would of continued if the Phantom hadn't turned them and herded them back to the hills.

"Well that's a relief" Sam told Tempest while un-saddling her and turning her out in the ten-acre pasture. She was walking up the steps when she heard the pounding of hooves and the neigh of pissed off horses. "What in the world?" her Dad asked running out of the house towards the pasture.

"Sam! Get out here and get your jug-headed mare!" her dad yelled, causing Sam to race back outside to see what was going on. When she got there her dad was already in the pasture checking on Strawberry, who was bleeding from bites and kicks.

"What happened?" Sam asked horrified.

"Seems like your mare decided she was sick of being pushed around" her dad answered nodding at Tempest, who was looking mighty darn pleased with herself.

And with that, The Phantom's herd, and River Bend Ranch had a new Queen.

**Give me reviews! :D Criticism is welcome**!


	3. Chapter 3

**~The next morning~**

"Samantha, get up!" Gram hollered up the stairs.

"It's my birthday for crying out loud!" Sam mutter while dragging herself out of bed.

She quickly dressed and ran a brush though her long auburn hair, all the while thinking about her birthday dinner later on tonight.

"Sam!" Gram yelled once more.

"I'm coming!" Sam said racing down the stairs, only to collided with the wall. Or so she thought.

"Easy brat" came a slow drawl from the wall.

"Jake!" Sam smiled and looked up at the "wall"

"Happy birthday brat" Jake smile while putting his black cowboy on the hat rack.

While he was busy, Sam took the time to run her eyes over his body, from his black neck-length hair to his worn cowboy books. With a blush, Sam realized she was _really_ looking forward to spending the summer alone with Jacob Ely.

**Jake's POV**

_She totally just checked me out_ Jake thought with a grin.

"So brat, are you excited about spending the summer with little old me?" He asked

"There is nothing little about you Jake Ely!" said the exceptionally beautiful young women, before walking over toward her Gram, to see if she needed help making lunch.

With a blush, Jake couldn't help but check out Sam's curves

_Oh yea, this is going to be one hell of a summer_ Jake thought with a grin

**Sam's POV**

"Gram are you sure you don't want me to help with lunch?" Sam asked for the third time.

"Lands girl! How many times must I tell you no! Why don't you go for a ride with Jake or something. Get out of the kitchen!" Gram shot back for her place at the stove

"Fine" Sam muttered, but at the thought of a ride with Jake, she couldn't help but grin.

"JAKE" She hollered up the stairs, only to turn around and find him standing directly behind her.

"You know, that is so creepy Jake. Honestly" Sam said as a slight chill with through her.

"I sowwy Sammy" Jake said in his best "Cody" voice.

"Yeah, whatever. Come on lets go for a ride" Sam said walking out of the house. "Should I take Tempest or Ace?"

"Well who are you taking tonight when we leave?" Jake asked curious as to which horse Sam would leave behind for four months.

"I'm taking Tempest. She needs me more than Ace does." Sam said, as to defend her decision to take the filly.

"I figured as much." Jake said "Then if it was me, I'd spend some time with Ace."

"Your right. I hate it when you right." Sam said rolling her eyes and grabbing Ace's bridle from the barn

"I'm _always _right Samantha" Jake said in a slow drawl

"Just get on your horse and shudup!" Sam said from her position on Ace's bareback.


	4. Chapter 4

Sam smiled as her little mustang stretched his legs to keep up with Jake's big black mare Witch. The two friends had been riding for nearly an hour, and completely missed lunch. Not that they minded.

_In less than three hours, Me and Jake will be riding this trail again, but we won't be coming back. I can't believe I'm actually going to stay with the herd for four months! _Sam thought letting her mind drift as the horses raced on. _And with Jake. The one person who can piss me off with a single look, and then an instant later, make me want to hop into the nearest hayloft with him. Who would have figured that little Samantha would fall for her best friend? Ahh, who am I kidding. Everyone saw it coming. 'Cept Me and Jake. I wonder what he is thinking right now _She glanced over at the face she had come to love, and find it staring at her butt with a far away expression on it.

"Is something on my butt?" Sam asked arching an eyebrow "Jacob Ely, were you just looking at my ass?"

"I you see, Umm." Fear crept into the young man eyes, before his natural born confidence took over "Yes Sam. I was looking at your ass. A mighty nice one if I do say so myself." he said smiling

"Yours isn't half bad either" Sam said with a wink and gave Ace his head so she wouldn't have to hear his response.

**Jake's POV**

"Isn't half bad?" Jake mutter to himself, trying to decided whether the comment had boosted or booted his Ego. Of course, Sam was no where near him, so he couldn't ask her just yet. But he knew they'd be having a talk.

_A whole four months alone with Sam. The girl I lust after, the girl I dream about, the girl I grew up with, the girl I'm best friends with, the girl I love. _Jake thought as he slowly but surely caught up with Sam _Half the time I just want to throttle her, and the other half I just want to throw her against a door and make love with her. I better quit thinking like that, thats all I need is a hard-on after she caught be looking at her ass. I'd never hear the end of it. _

"Hey Sam!" Jake called out after looking at the slowly sinking sun "Its almost three, we had better head back. You know Wyatt and Bryanna are gonna have to give us our _rules"_

**Sam's POV**

"Well if you had been paying attention to where we were, and not my exceptional rear, you would have noticed we are almost back to the ranch" Sam said giggling a little. She was never going to let him forget about this. Never ever.

"Oh. Yeah. I guess your right" Jake said blushing a deep shade of red. 'Cept on him, it just made his face darker.

"Come on. We better hurry" Sam said as the rode into the ranch yard. "Are you going to leave Witch saddled?"

"Might as well, since we are leaving anyways." Jake said tying the mare to a hitching post.

"Well will you help me get Ace unsaddled, and Tempest saddled?" Sam asked making the puppy-dog look, which he hardly ever said no to.

"I'll deal with Ace. You get the bitc- I mean Tempest ready." Jake said watching her greet her temperamental filly.

"Witch is ten times the bitch Tempest is thank you very much!" Sam said glaring at him from Tempest's stall "You just don't understand her well enough."

"You just don't understand Witch" Jake shot back at her, while rubbing down Ace.

"Touche" Sam said leading a fully saddled Tempest over to the same hitching post Witch was tied at. "You two behave yourselves." she warned the feisty filly, and bitchy mare.

Sam was walking across the yard towards the house when she heard Jake yell for her from the barn.

"What?" Sam asked slightly irritable

"I'm about to make you mad" Jake said smiling, acting on utter impulse.

"Really? How do you plan to do that?" Sam asked warily.

"I'm about to kiss you" Jake whispered, before leaning over and giving her the lightest of all kisses.

"Jake" Sam said once she managed the speak again "More"

He grabbed her, jerking her forward and up on her toes. The sound Sam made might have been a gasp, but it ended in a moan.

His hands tangled in the wild glory of her hair, tugging so her head dipped back.

When he lifted his head, said her name, Sam only shook her head and dragged him back.

For one wild moment his hands where everywhere, inciting, igniting, until she could barely breath.

"Let me-" Jake fumbled with the buttons on her shirt.

"Okay" Sam would let him do pretty much anything right now.

When his hand covered her racing heart, she pulled him onto the the straw.

Smooth flesh, hard muscle, and a mouth mad with hunger.  
>She arched under him, rolled over him. Yanked his tee-shirt up and away to run her hands down his toned body.<p>

Half mad, Jake flipped her onto her back, aimed to rip away her clothes. Her elbow hitting the barn door sounded like a gunshot. Stars burst in front of her eyes.

"Oh God" Sam gasped at the pain

"What? Sam. Shit. Fuck. I'm sorry. Let me see" Jake said frantically

"No wait." Sam said almost over the initial pain "Funny bone. Ha-ha. Damn it hurts"

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry" Jake said rubbing her arm, at the same time, he was glad.

"Well way to ruin a good moment" Sam said regrettably "But it was probably a good thing Jake."

"Yeah. I know" came the quiet reply.

"We have a whole summer." Sam reminded him. Even though it was kinda weird to be talking about having sex with your best friend.

"And I plan to make the most of it Samantha. You can count on that" Jake said with his lazy tom-cat grin.


	5. Chapter 5

Walking into the house, Sam awkwardly tried to fix her hair. Jake had already smoothed over his shirt, and helped her fix her blouse. But her hair was a different matter. It was tangled from his hands going through it, and no matter what she did it wouldn't look decent. _I'll just come up with some excuse _she thought walking into the living room behind Jake. Smiling she took a seat next to him on the couch, facing the two large chairs that sat across from it. Letting her mind wonder, she took in the room as if she was a visitor. In front of the couch was the coffee table that had been in the family going on hundred years. Up on the fireplace mantle was pictures from Sam's childhood. In one of the pictures she sat atop a striking black horse. _Blackie turned out real nice _she thought with a slight smile on her face remembering the days the Phantom went as Blackie. Looking over to another picture, Sam nearly busted out laughing. In it, she was about fifteen, and she was chasing a laughing seventeen year old Jake in a field of wildflowers. _That was the day I started falling for Jacob Ely. The day I realized I wouldn't be truly happy with anyone but him._ She thought remembering that day well. It started as a pretty normal day. Sam woke up, texted her then boyfriend Eric goodmorning, and called Jen over for a ride. When Jen arrived, Sam could tell something was wrong. Naturally, Sam demanded to know what was up with her bestfriend. And then Jen shattered Sam's little happy world. Jen said she saw Eric last night at the movies with Rachel. And from how far his tongue was down Rachel's throat, they weren't there as friends. Of course, Sam put on a brave face, and acted as if his cheating didn't faze her. She broke up with him the next time he texted her, and she acted as if nothing had happened. But during their ride, Sam broke out into tears, and Jen didn't know what else to do, so she called Jake. Jake came over, and like always, made everything better. And then made fun of her, which prompted the chase through the field of flowers. _  
><em>

_ I didn't know Jen took that picture. She must have just got them made. _Sam thought before pointing out the picture to Jake.

"Remember that day?" She asked pointing  
>"Of course. That dumbass Eric hurt you. I made everything better. Like always" Jake said teasing a bit.<br>"Yeah. Like always." Sam said rolling her eyes. "Here comes Dad and Brynna." she added when she heard her dad and step-mother making their way into the living room. They sat in the chairs facing them, and in her hand Brynna had a thick folder.

"Okay. Listen up." Brynna said looking at the two of them. "I'm sure your both dying to know your rules. But first I want to cover the scientific rules. Sam, your very lucky the BLM has granted you permission to do this. Here are the rules. The most important rules is, under no circumstances are you to touch the foals. We do not want them to get habituated to human touch. Jake, I'm trusting you to make sure she doesn't. Witch and Tempest need to be hobbled or put in a rope corral. They are not permitted to mingle with the herd. This rule isn't that important, as long as the mares aren't bred. And if the Phantom does breed the mares, the resulting foal will be your responsibly, not the governments. We don't have to worry about Tempest getting bred, as Wyatt had her bred to Jed's stud last month, so she should be in foal. But Witch will need to be watched. You guys are to report in at least once a day. "

"Now for our rules" Wyatt said clearing his throat and looking between the two young people "The sleeping arrangements are to be completely separate. I'll allow you to share a tent, but thats it. You both must have your own sleeping bag, and so help me god if I find out different, I'll put you both six feet under. Sam, you are to watch Tempest carefully. That foal she is carrying could tire her out quicker than normal, so don't push her to do too much. I guess thats about it. Are we understood?"

"Yes sir" Jake said looking into Wyatt's steel blue eyes.  
>"Yeah." Sam added after Jake. "One question. Why wasn't I informed that my horse was bred?"<br>"It was an accident. Sundance jumped the fence" Wyatt said rubbing the back of his neck, a sure sign he was uncomfortable.  
>"She is only two! She isn't done growing. A foal could completely stunt her growth. You and Jed should have been paying more attention. " Sam said, her eyes blazing.<br>"I know Sam. I'm sorry. " Wyatt said, for once not yelling at her for her attitude.  
>"Well bye daddy!" Sam said jumping up and hugging him "Bye Brynna" she added hugging her step-mother. After that, everything seem to fly by quickly. She remembered hugging Cody and Gram, and then it went blank.<p>

"Are you going to follow the rules?" Jake asked as the rode across the range towards the valley of the wild horses.  
>"Nope. We are totally sharing a sleeping bag." Sam said kicking Tempest into a slow canter.<p> 


End file.
